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The Classicist: On Equestrian Style

Filed under: Decor, Sports, Books, The Classicist


Followers of my sporadic style posts here have probably noticed certain threads running throughout; anglophilia, certainly, but also an affinity for all things equestrian-related: the polo matches staged by the likes of Veuve Clicquot and Mercedes-Benz; the Royal Ascot Races; riding boots by John Lobb of London; leathergoods by Swaine Adeney Brigg; and even classic sporting art. All these elements and more come together beautifully in Vicky Moon's new book Equestrian Style: Home Design, Couture, and Collections from the Eclectic to the Elegant, due out this week from Clarkson Potter.

It's a magnificent, much-needed extension of the horsey lifestyle portrayed in Hunt Country Style, the book I wrote about back in April. Moon divides her volume into different facts of the equestrian experience: In the Field, On the Farm, At the Track, In the Ring, On the Move, and Down the Road, focusing on all facets of horsiness and everything that goes along with it. The emphasis is on authenticity, not affectation; she barely mentions Ralph Lauren for instance except in the context of the actual polo team he fields.

Hunt Country Style

Filed under: Decor, Books

Life in the aristocratic Piedmont region of rural Virginia from Middleburg to Charlottesville, known as "Hunt Country," is of course mainly centered around equestrian pursuits. However, the preservation both of open land and historic architecture are of equal importance. Foxhunting has been popular in the area since the late 1740s, when the young George Washington rode to hounds, later establishing his own pack at Mount Vernon.

In a beautiful new book called Hunt Country Style, Kathryn Masson escorts us through some of the prettiest purlieus, including the seat of the Orange County Hunt, with which Jackie Kennedy often rode. While these days (as in any other desirable locale) there's been an influx of new money, for the most part the emphasis is still more on tradition than ostentation.

Click on the gallery below to take a tour of Hunt Country. Tally-ho!

Llangollen Farm, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates


A friend pointed out this classic American estate. Located in the Virginia Hunt Country, Llangollen is available for only the second time in seventy-five years. This farm sits on over one thousand one hundred acres and has an eighteenth century residence. The home is the archetypal home of the gentleman farmer with wood-paneled walls, curving staircases and crystal chandeliers. Designed for the equestrian, the property features a horseshoe-shaped barn that is nearly as grand as the house itself. The home has been home to a major horse breeding center and a Black Angus breeding operation. The estate is one of the grandest in this region, which is rich in American history. It is listed at $22 million. After the jump, the ideal home for the modern day Jefferson.


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